Pray When You Need to Get Out of the Pit

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Have you ever found yourself deep in a pit of despair?

Yeah, me too.

Maybe you’re there now.

And the truth is, it stinks.

One of the worst parts is that when you and I find ourselves in that dank dark place with our feet stuck in the muck, it’s really hard to see our way out.

That’s the reason Psalm 40 is one of my favorites.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. v. 1–3

Okay, maybe, like me, you don’t necessarily wait patiently. Patient is not typically how I feel when I’m in a pit but stop with me for a minute and look at David’s next words…

He turned to me and heard my cry.

And in Psalm 56, David wrote…

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book. v. 8

The Lord does not just gaze down at our pit dwelling. He is not simply an observer of our pain. Like a loving parent, He cares and He lifts.

Our Heavenly Father reaches down into our pits, takes us by the hand, and lifts us up and out. That’s mercy, grace, and love.

David said he did the waiting and God did the lifting.

Out of the mud and mire to solid ground. showing him the way to go and giving him a song to sing. And He does it all for our good and His glory.

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Romans 8:28

And…

For everything comes from him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Romans 11:36

So, I’m praying verses from Psalm 40 today. I’m asking God to lift us out of the mud and mire, plant our feet our the solid foundation of faith, and show us the way to go. I’d love for you to join me.

Pray Psalm 40 When You Need to Get Out of the Pit

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.

v. 1-2a

Father, waiting patiently is hard . . . it’s especially hard to wait when I’m overwhelmed with despair. Yet, as I pause, I realize that I am never alone. You are always with me. You heard the cries of my heart and reached down in love.

That’s when your love became the thing that overwhelmed me. You, my “Abba, Father” reached down into the pit and lifted me out. That is Your love for your children. Whether it is a pit of our own making, one made by someone else, or one caused by the pain and problems of this world, Your love is greater than our circumstances. Your love is greater than anything the enemy uses to try to defeat us. Your grace and mercy lift us up.

Jesus lifts us up and sets us free. Jesus lifts me up and sets me free.

He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

v. 2b–3

Thank you, Jesus. You are our firm foundation. Thank you for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. Your unchanging truth is solid ground.

Your Word guides and directs our steps and Your Spirit gives us the wisdom and understanding we need to move forward in faith. Please give me everything I need to follow where You lead. Keep me on the path You have prepared for me and help me focus my heart and mind on You that I might know and do Your will as You reveal it to me each day.

Lord, I worship You! I praise You! I lift up the name of Jesus, praying that the world might know and trust Your love.

O Lord my God, You have performed
many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them.

v. 5

Father, Your miraculous wonders surround us. Your plans for Your children are immeasurable. Please don’t let me miss what You want for me because I am stuck in the muck of my pit . . . focused on my own wants, needs, and circumstances.

Please help me repeat again and again the accounts of all Your wonderful acts of love. May I read and reread Your Word to be reminded of Your faithful goodness to Your children. May I keep a list of all the ways You have cared for me and helped me in the past. May I faithfully thank you for Your grace, mercy, and love shown to me through Your Son, Jesus. May I have everything I need to love and trust You through the gift of Your Holy Spirit. And may I thank and praise You every day for Your promises and the hope and confidence that You will give me everything I need to live this day and every day throughout eternity.

Lord, don’t hold back your tender
mercies from me.
    Let Your unfailing love and
faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles surround me—
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage.
Please, Lord, rescue me!
    Come quickly, Lord, and help me.

v. 11–13

Father, I know we will still have troubles. Sometimes my troubles may seem overwhelming and sometimes they may even knock me back into my pit. But whatever my situation, please surround me with Your unfailing love. Forgive me when the muck is of my own making. Help me forgive others when they try to put me in a pit. Help me when my courage and hope waver.

Help me look up! Help me see Your hand reaching down to lift me up. Come quickly, Lord, when I need You. This world can be hard sometimes but You have already won the victory. Through Your grace, I have everything I need.

But may all who search for You
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”

v. 16

Father, fill us with joy and gladness. So much so, that everyone we meet will want to know the reason for our peace and contentment. I pray to be so full of joy that people will want what You have given to me.

And then, I will enthusiastically repeat, “The Lord is great!”

You are so good and gracious. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Because of Your love and Your grace, I am able to live outside of the pit with my feet on the firm foundation of faith trusting that You will guide me and help me as I place my trust in You. Thank you, Father. Amen.

When You Need to Get Out of the Pit

Friend, the reality is . . . life can be hard and you and I might slip and fall into another pit. If I’m really being open here, I have to admit that I occasionally slip back into a familiar well-known pit of pain and sadness.

But by God’s grace, that’s when I go back to David’s words in Psalm 40 . . . to that place of looking up and waiting with anticipation.

A place of trusting that the Lord will lift me out of my pit one more time, planting my feet on the firm foundation of faith in Christ Jesus, guiding my steps along His path for me, and restoring my joy with hope and promise.

And that’s why we tell our stories again and again.

 So…

Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 40:3

I’m so glad you joined me today. If you’re stuck and ready to get out of a pit, look up . . . the Lord will lift you up and show you the way to go so you can tell the wonderful things He does and encourage other pit dwellers to wait, look up, and put their trust in the One who is worthy of all worship and praise!

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